5 methods to make your photo ID cards harder to forge

Access cards are often fitted with a photo of the card holder and used for visual identification. “But all too often, the cards are startlingly easy to forge. All organizations should include at least a couple of visual security elements on their cards to make it harder for criminals,” says Jörgen Littke, head of pre-production of cards at identity and security company Nexus Group.

There are 5 main methods to make photo ID cards harder to counterfeit, and they are all about adding visual security elements, according to Littke.

“Some of these security measures simply makes it harder for criminals to manufacture fake cards because they are complicated to imitate, and some of them are hidden and only known to the card issuer, which helps determine if a card is fake. Adding a couple of visual security elements to a card does not cost much extra, and is something all organizations should do to increase security,” says Littke.

Micro texts

“With this method, lines or patterns on your cards are actually made up of micro texts, which you only can see if you use magnifying equipment,” says Littke.

UV prints

“Text, symbols or pictures that are only visible in UV light are printed on your cards. You can, for example, print a small version of the card holders photo in a corner, or your organization’s logotype on the back of the card,” says Littke.

“Guilloché is a technique in which a very intricate and hard-to-copy pattern is printed on the cards,” says Littke.

HoloKote®

“Magicard’s patented HoloKote® security prints a watermark graphic on your cards, which is both hard to copy and elegant,” says Littke.

Holograms

“There are a range of different types and sizes of holograms suited for different security needs. It is also possible to make a logotype holographic to protect the brand from counterfeiting,” says Littke.